Proposition 8 - Liberals Screwed Up - They Were Out Organized

[Median Democrat]

I voted No on Proposition 8. However, even though polls showed a slight lead by the No On 8 crowd, I was worried before the election. Why?

I saw excellent grass roots efforts by the Yes on 8 crowd, particularly in the suburbs. In the weeks leading to the election, the Yes on 8 crowd actively demonstated, picketed and displayed signs in support of Proposition 8. In other words, the Proposition 8 folks had a great ground game. I know that No on 8 folks were active in the city areas, but that was largely preaching to the choir.

I did not see many No on 8 folks on the ground in the suburbs. I only saw the No on 8 commericials long after the Yes on 8 folks had been running the infamous Gavin Newsome ads.

So, while the GBLT is going to try to litigate their way to victory, I am not optimistic. Courts generally do not take the lead on issues of social change, rather they tend to preserve the status quo. Worse, when they do, there is often a backlash.

I would have liked to have seen more of a ground game by the GBLT crowd in areas where there was not a prominent GBLT community. Education should precede litigation, and there should have been more of an effort to address the fears and prejudices of the general public, and educate them as to why civil unions were not a sufficient substitute for marriage.

This is my critique as a third party observer who voted No on 8.

[Ken Burch]

1. Did the "Yes on 8" side target the black community in particular?

I'm wondering about this because the CNN exit polling showed AA women voted "Yes on 8" by almost 3 to 1. That was likely the margin of victory right there.

I wonder if it would've helped, for example, to have Queen Latifah in "no on 8" ads?

[Median Democrat]

9. Suburbs I'm Referring To Were Quite White, Hispanic and Asian

Not many African Americans in my neck of the woods.

[Ken Burch]

12. Sorry for any confusion. I was talking about whether it looked like that more overall.

Of course, it was probably the only thing that got Sarah's cult to the polls in your state.

[goodgd_yall]

14. I think that was done by the churches n/t

[Ian David]

2. All those tax-exempt churches and their weekly captive audiences.

If only we could have liberal tax-exempt organizations on such a large scale to counter them.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. We do, but they are not that extensive, they are your reform temples

your UUA churches, but you get the picture.

[ronnykmarshall]

3. Maybe if that 22% of so called liberals voted NO ...

We might have won.

Exit polls so that 22% of people the call themselves "liberal" vote FOR Prop 8!

[Ian David]

6. I guess their idea of "liberal" is radically different from ours? n/t

[ronnykmarshall]

8. Sure sounds like it, huh ?

[Ken Burch]

13. Those types are "liberal"...unless it's the idea of THEIR kid coming out.

...and they probably live in gated communities.

[frylock]

5. grass roots?!

bullshit. this was heavily funded by the crazy-ass mormons and dumbshit catholics.

[Median Democrat]

11. I' Not Talking About The Ads, I Am Talking About People...

I recall driving on PCH and passing several intersections with Yes On 8 demonstrators and their families with huge signs. The Yes on 8 folks had many, many volunteers. I did not see anything comparable from the No On 8 crowd in the suburbs.

[Barack_America]

7. Also, IMO, the Democratic party in general has a problem in how they reach out to minority voters.

Particularly with regard to progressive social positions.

We need to do better.

[goodgd_yall]

16. The Dem Party wanted nothing to do with the issue

don't you think? They were afraid to lose votes for Democratic candidates.

[ronnykmarshall]

17. all the cal dems did was endorse NO on 8.

As far as money went ... I don't know.

[Barack_America]

18. Well then that is VERY disappointing.

I'm sorry to hear that my rant against the CA Dem party yesterday seems to have been founded.

[Median Democrat]

19. Think Its A Mistake To Rely On A Political Party To Do Grassroots Work

I think its the other way around. For examples, unions provide the grassroots support in return for Democratic support. The Democratic party did not provide all the Obama volunteers. Rather, the Obama campaign relied on heavily on volunteers.

If the No On 8 folks were relying on the Democratic Party to do their Grass Roots organizing for them, that was arrogant and their mistake. That is a very top down approach in contrast to the Yes On 8 folks who relied heavily on organizing through churches.

[goodgd_yall]

20. Not being on the inside

I have no idea what the No on Prop 8 people (I did vote NO) were expecting. They failed in outreach efforts apparently. I think there was too much complacency by those who live in more liberal areas. Just like the Obama campaign got blue state people to canvass in red states, No on Prop 8 people from liberal counties should have gone into the inland areas of the state to help with the No on Prop 8 efforts.

[goodgd_yall]

10. Now this is a more productive discussion.

And I agree with all your observations.

Also, I'd like to point out that 10% of voters who voted "yes" described themselves as not being affiliated with any religion. This is a group that gays and lesbians have a chance of converting. With just half of that group voting "NO," Prop 8 would not have passed. There's little we can do to win over religious voters (I do realize there are religious voters who voted No, but I'm talking about the majority) but with a better laying out of our case (why "marriage" and not just "civil unions"----Federal tax laws, for instance) we might be able to reach the voters who did not base their vote on religious grounds.

Your post deserves a recommendation.

[pnwmom]

15. This is the message I wish we could hammer home to straight parents:

There is nothing new about gay men and women getting married and having children. They have always done this, always will.

But the traditional thing for a gay man to do, if he wants a life partner and children, is to marry an unsuspecting straight woman. They have one or more children and remain married for a few years, a few decades, or sometimes even for life -- while the gay person continues to get needs met outside the marriage.

So this is the real choice. It's not whether gay people will get married. It's whether you want gay people to marry your straight children, or your gay children.